FAIRPLEX PARK : 251 Races, 19 Days Is a Fair Meeting

Taking advantage of the break between the Del Mar meet and the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita, Fairplex Park at Pomona has scheduled 251 races, involving thoroughbreds, quarter horses and appaloosas, into a 19-day meet beginning today at the Los Angeles County Fair.

First post for the 57th season at Fairplex is 1 p.m., with at least one stakes race daily through Oct. 2.

The meet’s main event is the $150,000-guaranteed Ralph M. Hinds Pomona Invitational Handicap on Oct. 1. The race for 3-year-olds and up at about 1 1/8 miles is named after the Fair Assn.’s late president and chief executive officer, who helped turn Fairplex Park into one of the most successful tracks in North America. A track-record $88,655,407 was wagered there last year.

Today’s card features twin $50,000-guaranteed stakes races--the Bustles and Bows (10th race) and the Foothill (12th race).

Savario Farm’s Houston Sunrise is considered the favorite in the Foothill, an event for 3-year-olds to be decided at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Houston Sunrise will be ridden by David Flores, seeking his seventh consecutive riding title at Fairplex.

The Bustles and Bows is headed by Iron County Farms’ Inc.’s Devil’s Plaything, unbeaten in two starts for Craig Lewis, who won the 1991 Fairplex Park training title. Devil’s Plaything will be ridden by apprentice Jose Valdivia.